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America & the West in the Putin’s address

27/3/14

Russian President Vladimir Putin

In recent time, you and I, we have witnessed how fast the world change in the political crisis in Ukraine. America and the West have shown their incredibility of interfering other country’s domestic affairs. They used opposite forces to bring down the Government led by the elected President Viktor Yanukovych. They have pushed a peaceful country into a mess, chaos and division. It takes long time for Ukraine to fully recover and be a strong, sovereign and self-sufficient country. Like a mirror, the situation in Ukraine reflects what is going on and what has been happening in the world over the past several decades. After the dissolution of bipolarity on the planet, we no longer have stability. The West, led by the United States of America, wants to control the world, makes it as their wish. To have the insight look about their policies to other countries and the world in general, I suggest that together we review the address of Russian President Vladimir Putin before the Federal Assembly about crisis in Ukraine, at the Kremlin in Moscow March 18, 2014.

When Putin welcomed the West to the concept of international law, he said,

“They say we are violating norms of international law. It’s a good thing that they at least remember that there exists such a thing as international law – better late than never.”

When Putin said that, despite the stereotype, it’s the West who’s acted like a bull…or bear… in a china shop:

“They are constantly trying to drive us into a corner because we have an independent position, because we maintain it and because we tell it like it is and don’t engage in hypocrisy. But there is a limit to everything. And with Ukraine, our Western partners have crossed the line, playing the bear and acting irresponsibly and unprofessionally.”

When Putin told the West to get over its Cold War hang ups:

“Today, it is imperative to end this hysteria, to refute the rhetoric of the Cold War and to accept the obvious fact: Russia is an independent, active participant in international affairs. Like other countries, it has its own national interests that need to be taken into account and respected.”

When Putin reminded the world Bush-era diplomacy was no way to behave in a civilized world:

“They act as they please: here and there, they use force against sovereign states, building coalitions based on the principle ‘If you are not with us, you are against us.’ To make this aggression look legitimate, they force the necessary resolutions from international organizations, and if for some reason this does not work, they simply ignore the UN Security Council and the UN overall.”

When Putin referenced his own NYT op-ed on American special brand of exceptionalism:

“Our western partners, led by the United States of America, prefer not to be guided by international law in their practical policies, but by the rule of the gun.”

When Putin said NATO is welcome at the BBQ, but can’t set up camp in Russia’s back yard:

“NATO remains a military alliance, and we are against having a military alliance making itself at home right in our own backyard; in our historic territory. I simply cannot imagine that we would travel to Sevastopol to visit NATO sailors. Of course, most of them are wonderful guys, but it would be better to have them come and visit us, be our guests, rather than the other way round.”

When Putin warned that Western threats would be met in kind:

“Some Western politicians are already threatening us with not just sanctions, but also the prospect of increasingly serious problems on the domestic front. I would like to know what it is they have in mind exactly: action by a fifth column, this disparate bunch of ‘national traitors’, or are they hoping to put us in a worsening social and economic situation so as to provoke public discontent? We consider such statements irresponsible and clearly aggressive in tone, and we will respond to them accordingly.”

When Putin reminded Germany that not everyone supported its post-Cold War reunification:

"I believe that the Europeans, first and foremost, the Germans, will also understand me. Let me remind you that in the course of political consultations on the unification of East and West Germany… some nations that were then and are now Germany’s allies did not support the idea of unification. Our nation, however, unequivocally supported the sincere, unstoppable desire of the Germans for national unity. I am confident that you have not forgotten this, and I expect that the citizens of Germany will also support the aspiration of the Russians, of historical Russia, to restore unity."

When Putin called out the West for hypocrisy over Kosovo:

“We keep hearing from the United States and Western Europe that Kosovo is some special case. What makes it so special in the eyes of our colleagues? It turns out that it is the fact that the conflict in Kosovo resulted in so many human casualties. Is this a legal argument? The ruling of the International Court says nothing about this. This is not even double standards; this is amazing, primitive, blunt cynicism. One should not try so crudely to make everything suit their interests, calling the same thing white today and black tomorrow. According to this logic, we have to make sure every conflict leads to human losses.”

And, of course, when Putin reminded his critics that everyone has their breaking point:

“If you compress the spring all the way to its limit, it will snap back hard. You must always remember this.”

I really interested in his viewpoints about the West, which is very different from what they have told us. The West has its own purpose in engaging other country’s issue and the Western democracy is not democratic as expected. They want to rule the world with the law of the gun. They have come to believe in their exclusivity and exceptionalism, that they can decide the destinies of the world, that only they can ever be right. They act as they please: here and there, they use force against sovereign states, building coalitions based on the principle “If you are not with us, you are against us.” To make this aggression look legitimate, they force the necessary resolutions from international organizations, and if for some reason this does not work, they simply ignore the UN Security Council and the UN overall.

Vietnam is a part of the world and connected with the world’s evolution. In-depth understanding of the world situation is an indispensable condition for defining national tasks. We should be smart in choosing good and bad things to learn and protecting our revolutionary achievements in the process of international integration. Especially, the young Vietnamese people don’t ever fool ourselves about the prosperity and democracy of the West. The judgment is depended on each of us, but the truth of the West is undeniable!

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All comments [ 5 ]

Me Too! 28/3/14 15:28

The world is going to witness a new Cold War between the U.S. and Russia.

For A Peace World 28/3/14 15:31

Russia's statement in the speech of Putin has strongly condemned the baseless military intervention of the U.S. to Palestine, Israel or Syria.

John Smith 28/3/14 15:39

The intervention of Us military in Palestine, Iraq or Syria is strong evidences of a violation about human rights and democracy.

Vietnam Love 28/3/14 15:44

I believe Russia has enough economic and military power to be counterweight to the United States in any war.

Socialist Society 28/3/14 15:50

The event in Ukraine and Russia's strong determination showed a clear picture of a multipolar world.